Signaling system for railways.



P. UTNE. ramme SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SP-TT. 28, 190B. V @53,g%3 Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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P. UTNE. v SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, 1908.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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rnn UTNE, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoa r0 THE UNION swrrcn a SIGNAL or swrssvarn, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or tor/trans, rnNNsrLveNra.

Application filed September 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PER UTNE, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have .invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signaling systems, for railways and especially to signaling systems for electric railways. I

In signaling systems to which my inven-. tion relates, signaling currents are employed on defined limits of the track rails to control signaling devices. \Vhen no car or train is on a defined limit of the track rails, the signaling currenttherein is employed to control a signaling device and have it give one indication to an approaching car or train, and when a car or train is within such defined limitsthe wheels and axles thereof act as a short circuit for the signaling current, and the signaling device is controlled to give another.indication to an approaching car or train. In some signalingv systems for electric railways the limits for the signaling current in the track rails are defined by bonds of low resistance and impedance whichare placed between the track rails and joined to them. Such bonds in connection with adjacent sections of the track rails, form paths in which the signalin currents flow, and alongside the track rails, at about the oints where the bonds are located, a closed conductor is arranged in which a current flows, induced therein by the signaling current flowing in the track rails.

-My invention relates to improvements in the type of signalin system hereinbefore generally described w ereby the efficiency of such arrangements is greatly increased.

track rails of Fig. 1 showin coils connected therewith.

I will describe a signaling system embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.' Y

In the accompanying. drawings, Figure 1 is a portion of an electric railway both track rails of which are electrically continuousthroughout their length and havin apsystem embodying Fig. I but showing a modification in the trackway. Fi 3 isadetail plan view drawn to a larger see c of a portion of one of the two adjacent ig. 4 is a side Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Riga. 29, 1916 1908. Serial No. 455,037.

elevation of Fig. 3. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views in partly transverse section and end elevation oi modifications.

Similar characters of reference designate correspondingparts in all of the-'figteres.

Referring now to Fig. l: 1, 2 designate the two track rails of an electric railway which are electrically continuous through-- out their length so that they may term conductors for electric currents as well as sup" port rails for the cars or trains. Motor cars are propelled along the railway by an electric current which may he alternating or direct, supplied from a suitable generator 3. one pole of. which is suitably connected with a trolley or third rail 4 and the other of which is suitably connected with both. of the track rails 1, 2, by means of a conductor 21 and bond 5.

At suitable points naling devices S, S, they may be of any along the railway, sigetc., are provided, and desired construction or arrangement to give the proper indications to the drivers of the cars or trains traveling along the railway. Preferably they will be of the automatic semaphore type which are well known in the art and will notbe described in' detail here. For the purposes oi this specification it need he stated only that they comprise a blade, a counterweight for the blade in the form of a spectacle, a light for use in connection with the spectacle and an operating mechanism for the blade. The railway signals S, S, etc, are generally located at the entrance end of a block section,

the block section generally extending from one railway signal (generally a home sig nal) to the next adjacent signal. In the drawings I have shown two complete block sections B, C, and portions of two others A, D. Each railway signal is'controlled as to one or more of 'itsindications by a sig-' naling current flowing in the track rails of the block sections which the railway signal controls. The signaling currents are confined to certain defined limits of the track rails, generally to the length of track rails included in a block section, and in this invention this is accomplished by means of cross bonds 5 which are placed between the track rails 1, 2- and electrically connected therewith. These bonds areof low ohmic resistance and low impedance and have a conducting capacity for both propulsionand sip *aling currents. These bonds, as has been stated, act to confine the signaling currents within certain limits and in this respect they have the same function as the insulated joints used in signaling systems on steam roads. They also serve to equalize any dilference of car ,p ropulsion current existing in the rails at their points of location, but in this respect they act the same as the cross bonding usually employed between the tracks of electric rallways.

."he signalin current for the track circuits is supplied from a generator or transformer from which extend distributing mains, 7, 8. Transformers 20, one for each track circuit, are fed from the mains 7, 8, and each transformer is located at a point about midway of the ends of its track circuit. The signaling current for each track circuit will flow from one terminal of the secondary winding of its transformer along one rail to a bond 5, at one end ofthe track circuit through the bond 5 to the opposite rail and along it to the other terminal of the transformer. The signaling current will also flow fro the first terminal to the rail to which it is connected and along it to the cross bond 5 at the other end of the tack circuit, through that bond to the other rail and along it to the other terminal of the secondary wind ing of its transformer. Each bond 5 it will be seen is common t two adjacent block sections. The circui just traced is a closed circuit, and signaling cur rent flowing therein is availed of to induce a secondary current in an adjacent circuit.

Adjaent the cross bonds at the ends of each track circuit, I secure to both of the 'rails at intervals a number of laminations arranged in units to form cores.

9, 10, 11, etc., designate units of laminations, the laminations in each set being suitably clamped together by bolts 9 10, 11 etc. The laminations in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are shown as being in three parts or sections while those in Fig. 7' are shown as being in two parts or sections. The laminations are provided. along the sides of the rails and under the base of the rails. The sections of laminatioi'is under the rails in Figs. -5 to 6 are secured to the other section by bolts 12, and between the laininations at the sides and bottom of the rail is insulating material 1 5. The thickness of this insulating material may vary according to the desired air gap, to prevent magnetic saturation of the core by the propulsion current flowing in the rails. These laminated iron cores are so proportioned and arranged about the web and base of the rail as to take up and provide a path for the maximum magnetic flux which is up at these points by the signaling current flowing in the rails. Each rail 1, 2, may be provided with as many cores as desired, depending upon the amount of current it is desired to have flow in the secondary circuit. The sec ondary circuit is formed by a series of coils connected together. i

In Figs. 3, 4 and I have shown each set of laminations as being provided with two coils 9 9, 10, 10 while in Fig. 6 I have shown each core as being providdd with three coils 9, 9 9. In Fig. 7 I have shown the cores as being provided with only one coil 9 arranged at the bottom of the rail and inclosed in a suitable twopart casing 15", 15. The core is also shown as being in two parts instead of three as in Figs. 5 and 6.

In those cases wher' e each core is provided with a plurality of coils, they are preferably connected in series with each other. The several. groups of coils located at the ends of the track circuit may be connected together in any desired manner. For example in Fig. 1 the groups of coils at the left-hand end of block section B are connected; four groups in parallel each group having three coils in series. Tlggg coils at the right-hand end of block sectic'iitB are connected all 12 in series.

.l the left-hand end of block section C,

four groups of coils are connected in parallel, each group having two coils in series. At the right hand end of the same section all eight coils are shown connected in series. Fig. 2 shows to the left two groups in parallel each group having S coils connected in series. To the right in Fig. 2 a group offiliti coils is shown with all connected in parallel.

However the coils are connected together; they arein circuit with suitable relays E ER In the drawings I have shown the relays 11, R as comprising two coils, one a field coil?" and the other an armature coil r which actuates a contact arm 1' included in the local or signal circuit. One coil is connected with the coils or windings on the laminations at one end of the track circuit and the other wind in! is connected with the coils or windings on the cores at the other end of the track circuit. \Vhcn current is flowing in both coils of the relays the armature coil 1" will more the contact arm to close the local or signal circuit andthus have the signal mechanism operate the signal device to give a clear or proceed indication. if, however, current is shunted from either or both of the coils the armature coil 9" is moved in a reverse direction under the influence ofgravity to open the local or signal cirmi'it and thus have the signal mechanism operate and thesignal de vice give a danger or stop indication.

Instead of only one relay having two coils, two relays of any desired construction designed to be operated only by the signaling current for each end of. the block may be employed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to meure by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a railway signaling system, conductirely continuous ails, bonds of low iinpedance connected with the rails at intervals, sources of signaling currents connected to the track rails intermediate the bonds, lamij nations a:S()t':itit0(l with the track rails 2 intervals and affording a path for the magnetic tlux produced by the signaling current [lowing in the track rails and windings around said laniii'iations in which a current is induced, and relay devices energized by said induced currents to control 'ailway signals. I

2. A track circuit for signaling systems comprising opposite portions of track rails, a source of ling current connected therewith, sets ot laininatioi'is secured to the opposite track rails at intervals and attording a path for the magnetic flux produced by the signaling current flowing in the track rails, a winding for each set of laminations in which a current is induced by the magnetic flux set up in the said laminationsand relay devices energized from the induced currents in said windings.

3. A track circuit for signaling ;-.ysteins comprising opposite portions of track rails,

' t and laminated in a direction parallel to lines a source" of signaling current connected each set of laininations in which a current is induced by the magnetic flux flowing in the laininations for controlling the operation of a railway signaling device.

5. A track circuit for signaling systems comprising opposite portions of track-rails, a source of signaling current connected therewith, a set of laniinations secured to .i of the track rails and affording a path tor the magnetic flux produced by the flow of signaling current in the said track rails and a winding for each set of laininatioiis in which a current is induced by the magnetic flux flowing in the lainiiiations for I, controlling the operation of a railway signaling device.

(3. A track circuit for signaling systems, comprising opposite portions of track rails along which a car travels, a source of alternating signaling current therefor, a set of laminations associated with each track rail and atl'ording a path for magnetic flux produced by the flow of signaling current in the said portions of the track rails, a winding for each set of laminations in which an induced current flows, and a signal controltlierewitli, sets of laininations secured to the opposite track rails at intervals and embracing the webs and tlanges thereof and affording a path for the magnetic tlux produced by the signaling current flowing in the traclc rails,'a winding for each set of laminations in which a current is induced by the magnetic flux flowing in the said laminations and relay devices energized from the induced currents in said -\\'indings.

t. A track circuit for signaling systems i comprisin opposite portions oi track track rails at each end of the track circuit,

a set of laniinations secured to each of the ling device included in said winding.

7. A signaling transformer comprising a track-rail, an iron core ad ac-ent to said rail oi force set up by current flowing in said rail, and a winding around said core in a direction at right angles to the laminations.

9. signaling transformt comprising a track rail, an iron core adjacent to and partially surrounding said rail and laminated at right angles to the length of the rail and a winding around said core in a direction at right angles to the laniiiiations, whereby the rail acts as primary conductor when travt't'hCtl by alternating currents to induce secv mils, ondary currents in said winding. a bond of low impedance connected with the t In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribed witnesses.

PER UTNE.

\Vit nesses:

H. A; HAniirroN, M. S. I IRKLAN1L 

